Information Quality Report

This TVA Report is in response to the Office of Management and Budget’s Guidelines for Ensuring and Maximizing the Quality, Objectivity, Utility, and Integrity of Information Disseminated by Federal Agencies. This Report and the attached Guidelines are provided for public notice of TVA's Information Quality program. All comments should be provided to the Information Quality group using the Information Quality Web Form in writing to:

Background

TVA, under direction of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), has drafted Guidelines to ensure the quality of information disseminated to the public.

Elements of the Guidelines include the requirement that all information disseminated be subject to standards of quality that include content objectivity and usability for the intended audience. Whenever persons who are affected by TVA information believe that such information is incorrect, those persons may seek correction. On an annual basis, TVA will report all complaints related to incorrect information to the Director, OMB.

All information provided to the public receives reviews designed to ensure adequacy of objectivity and usability. Objectivity relates to the presentation of information in an accurate, clear, complete, and unbiased manner. The review also ensures the information is presented in the proper context.

History suggests that some information provided to the public by TVA has had a significant impact on public policy or private sector business decisions. Information related to environmental aspects of TVA power generation facilities or TVA’s management of the Tennessee River system has been of vital importance to the public’s interests in the Tennessee Valley region. Processes used to ensure the quality of such influential information may be examined and the information substantiated, upon request. Data used as the basis for statistical analysis may be reviewed. Methods used to analyze data are available for examination. TVA intends to be as candid as possible about data and methods used to produce influential information, except in situations where privacy rights are at stake, or when revealing business sensitive data and methods could cause financial, safety or other losses for TVA.

Assurance of Quality

For information of all types, the steps taken to assure the quality of information include:

Confirmation by the author in the accuracy, clarity, and completeness of the information as well as the unbiased nature of the presentation. The author will also ensure that assembled information is presented in the proper context.

The author will confirm the validity of sources used.

The author will subject the proposed information to a review as outlined in appropriate procedures.

Following review, the information is presented to TVA management for confirmation that TVA’s expectations have been achieved.

Approved information is prepared for dissemination by the Communications Department. Prior to release, the author will confirm that the information has not been corrupted by the preparation process.

Upon the author’s release, the information is disseminated.

For influential scientific, financial, or statistical information, TVA provides additional measures of review to assure quality. These measures may include:

Complaints by Affected Persons

Complaints will be processed by TVA External Communications. All complaints will be documented and tracked to resolution. Information shall be corrected when, in TVA’s judgment, doing so addresses the needs of TVA and its constituents without disrupting TVA processes. Corrections will only be made to the extent TVA concludes that a correction is appropriate based on the nature and timeliness of the information involved.

If TVA determines that a correction is appropriate, the correction will be made within a reasonable period of time given the extent and nature of the correction required and in a manner consistent with the nature and extent of the complaint.

If TVA initially determines that adequate steps were taken to ensure objectivity and usability, there is no mandate to correct the information in question. However, the complainant may appeal TVA’s initial decision. The steps to initiate an appeal shall be the same as those for an original request as identified in the Guidelines. Such appeals must be in writing and submitted to the Information Quality Officer .

TVA’s External Communications organization will determine the merit of the request after consulting with the relevant organization and other interested parties as determined by the External Communication organization. In the event the appeal is determined to have merit, the original review process and the process used to evaluate the original complaint shall be corrected to adequately reflect TVA’s position for ensuring objectivity and usefulness of disseminated information. Corrections shall be made, as appropriate, based on External Communications’ determination.

All complaints will be tracked in TVA’s Information Complaint Tracking system. The system will provide a unique tracking identity to each complaint and compile pertinent information about the complaint including the nature of the complaint, the identity of the person making the complaint, and the actions taken to resolve the complaint. The Information Tracking System will be initiated in Fiscal Year 2003 (October 1, 2002). An annual Fiscal Year report on the number and nature of information related complaints processed by TVA will be forwarded to the Director, OMB, following the close of the Fiscal Year and no later than the following January 1st. The first report shall be submitted to the Director on or before January 1, 2004, for FY 2003.

Contacting TVA

The following web form may be used to file complaints with regard to information disseminated by TVA and may be used to comment on the approach TVA proposes to assure the quality of disseminated information. If you have comments on any of the preceding, please use the following link: